Endless clichés have diluted the post-hardcore genre to the point of almost no return, with countless identikit acts clogging its creative arteries. Enter Essex’s FEI COMODO and their new EP ‘The Life They Lead’ to clean up the mess.
Yes, there’s enough chugging and clean melodies to shake a stick at, but there is a high standard of musicianship and expertise that sets Fei Comodo apart from many of their contemporaries. Rather than offering merely the formulaic ‘heavy verse/clean chorus/beatdown’ song structures, the band use their evidently vast influences to mesh the styles together in a much more fluent fashion. Intricate rhythms are complimented by down-tuned guitars and strong, meticulously arranged vocal melodies throughout the EP’s four tracks. Just as each song sounds beautifully cohesive as it progresses, it is worth noting that the whole record gradually slows in pace with each track.
Opener ‘No Way Out’ showcases the band’s ability to write an energetic, crushingly heavy tune with hooks Abu Hamza would envy. ‘Rival Tides’ could be a big single, and maintains enough technical prowess to avoid losing any momentum in the shift to mid-tempo. ‘A Man Left Behind’ hits the mark in sounding anthemic rather than generic, despite its reliance on a basic four-chord progression. The more subdued sections act as a great precursor to the stunning final track ‘Bare Feet And Broken Glass’. Soaring harmonies and intelligently placed effects create an epic, atmospheric conclusion leaving the listener lusting for more.
According to the band, this EP was put out because they had written too many new songs to just commit to one release. Hopefully this is an indication that the impending full-length will be of a similar standard, as this is truly impressive work that will resonate well with fans of Thrice, Exit Ten or Architects.
TOM WEST